Railway track servicing machine



Feb. 16, 1960. J. B. MGWILLIAMS ET AL 2,925,048

RAILWAY TRACK sERvIcING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 27, 1955 James B. McW/l//ams BY Richard E. Frank/m www La LN THE/R A T TOR/VE Y'S J. B. MCWILLIAMS ET AL 2,925,048

RAILWAY TRACK sERvIcING MACHINE Feb. 16, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1955 INVENTORS. Jqmes B. McWilliams Richard E Frank/m BY/fffwgfw THE Il? ATTORNEYS Hah El@ 196@ J. B. MGWILLIAMS ET AL 2,925,048?

RAILWAY TRACK sERvIcING MACHINE Filed DSG. 27, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS. Jqmes B. McWilliams Richard E. Fran/rim Feb, 16, 196@ .A B. MCWILLIAMS ET AL 2,925,048,

RAILWAY TRACK sERvIcING MACHINE Filed Deo. 27, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS, Jqmes B. Mc Wfl/mms Richard Fran/rim fw/7 M THE/R A r mRNA-rs Feb. 16, 1960 J. B. MGWILLIAMS ETAL 2,925,048

RAILWAY TRACK sERvIoING MACHINE Filed Dec. 27, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS. James Bi McWilliams Richard EI Frank/'n Feb. 16, 1960 J. B. MCWILLIAMS ET AL 2,925,048

RAILWAY TRACK SERVICING MACHINE Filed Dec. 27, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 THE/? A TTORNEYS Feb. 16, 1960 J. B. MCWILLIAMS ET AL 2,925,048

RAILWAY TRACK sERvIcING MACHINE;

Filed Dec. 27, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS. Jqmes B. McWilliams Fl g RIC/10rd E Frank/n www@ M THE /R AT TORNE YS United tates atent 2,925,043 RAILWAY TRACK sERvIcING MACHINE James B. McWilliams, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Richard E. Franklin, Charlotte, N.C., assignors Vto Railway Maintenance Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 27, 1955, Serial No.*555,4'96

6 Claims. (Cl. 10417) This invention relates to a railway track servicing machineV and, more particularly, to a machine which operates to raise ties into contact with the bases of the rails and drives spikes into the tie plates and ties. Prior known tie raising and spike driving machines comprise a truck adapted to run on rails and a head or framework for supporting air rhammers rigidly mounted on the truck. It is, therefore, necessary in driving spikes into a tie to exactly spot the truck so ythat the hammer carrying head is in vertical alignment with the end of the tie to be spiked. If the tie lies askew of the track, it is necessary to exactly spot the truck so that the hammer carrying head is in direct vertical alignment Vwith one end of the tie, drivethe two spikes at that end of the tie, then move the truck forwardly or rearwardly and again spot it at a position in which the hammer carrying head is in direct vertical alignment with the other Aend of the tie. In spiking rails on a curve, a similar problern is involved Vin that the tie does not lie in a plane which is exactly parallel with the front end of the truck. In other words, the tie does not lie at exactly right angles to the longitudinal axis of the truck. Accordingly, the truck must be spotted at one position for driving the spikes at one end of the tie and then moved to another position for driving the spikes at the other end ofthe tie.

The above mentioned diiculties are eliminated `in our machine which comprises a truck adapted to run on rails,

a carriage ysupported byand located at each side of the truck and adjustable fore and aft of the truck. A plurality of power driven hammers is supported by each of the carriages Iand power means is provided for moving the carriagesfore and` aft of the truck. In the vpreferred embodiment herein described, each of the `carriages is independently adjustable fore and aft by independent power means.

In using our machine, the truck can Abe moved to a position in which the carriages on which the power driven `hammers are 'supported are out of vertical alignment with the ends of the tie to be spiked. Thereafter, one of `the'carriages or both of them are adjusted fore and aftrelative to thetruck to bring the hammers in direct `vertical alignment with the ends of the tie. Ourmachine is `particularly useful in layingv curved track Whereinthe tie doesr not lie at exactly right angles to the longitudinal axis of the truck. After having moved the truck `to the approximate desired position, the carriages can be moved independently of each other relative to the iferrenleniboniment efeminvention,

lFigure 31 isla side elevation of the machine with Acer- Figure -Zis -an enlarged plan view of vthe Afront portion of the machine shown in Figure 1;

ice

Figure 3 -is 'a vertical transversesection taken on the line lll-lII of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line IV-QIV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line V-V ofFigure 3;

Figure 6 is a schematic plan view corresponding to `Figure 5 but taken at a lower level and showing a curved portion of track;

Figure 7 lis van exaggerated operational `view of the tongs in side elevation corresponding tothe showing of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a side elevational View of a spike feeding `attachment for the truck and a spike holder for the harrim`er carriages; A

Figure 9 is ahorizontal section taken on the `line IX-lX of Figure `l; l i

Figure 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line X--X of Figure 1;and A Figure ll` isa vvertical section taken on the line XI-XI fof'Figure 2. Y i

Referring more particularly "to the accompanying drawings, a truck indicated generally by reference numeral 2 and having a frame indicated 'generally by reference numeral 4 has front `wheels 6 and rear wheels 8 adapted lto run on rails 1Q lof a previously laid portion of track. The rails rest ontie plates I2 supported by ties 14. The uframe 4, which is generally rectangular, includes a pair of `longitudinally extending, transversely spaced main siderails 16 and `a transverse rear rail. 1S rigidly interconnecting the wside rails `1`6 at their rear extremities. The rear of the truck has an upraised horizontal platform 20 which supports anvaircornpressor 21 having a compressed air storage ta'nk 22 and a fuel tank 23. A hydraulic pump 24 driven bya belt 2S is operated to force hydraulic liquid, preferably 'oil, under pressure foi' a use hereinaftermore fully se't forth. The rearwheels S are driven by a chain and sprocket. drive 26 which is operated by 'a reversible pneumatic propulsion motor 28 supplied with air from thetaiik 22.

A4, double `acting `pneuiniiticl diaphragm motor 30 is mounted to 'each `th'e main side rails 16 at a point rforwardly of the'rear wheels 3, 'each of the motors` 3i) having a depending power reciprocable rod 32. Each `of the rods 32 is pivotally connected at its lower end `to the forwardly "extending Varm of a bell crank 34 having a 'vertically upwardly extending arm pivotally mounted at 36 to the adjacent side rail 16. Abrake 38 is pivotally 'connected at 40 to the apex of the bell crank 34 and the brake has a brakeshoe 42 adapted to engage the wheel 8. When the ro'd 32 is moved downwardly, the bell crank 34 is rocked about the pivot 36 to apply and set the brakeshoef-IZ fini-ily against the driving wheel 8.

i The `front ends "of the main side rails 16 rest on a steel plate 44 carrying berings'ffor the journal 46 of the front wheels `6. A front cross member y48 is welded to the plate 144 `and to "the side rails 16. The plate 44 supports the rear Yend o f a generally rectangular cantilevered `platform indicated vgenerally by reference numeral 50 which includes a pair of spaced-apart side rails `52 welded at their rear `ends to the plate 44 and to the cross member '48. A pair of short reinforcing cross members S4 connect together the front extremities of the main side rails 16 and `a rear portion ofthe side rails 52. The side rails 52 are secured together at their front ends by a front cross member `56 which protrudes laterally ya short `distance beyond the side Vrails 52` oneach side thereof. The protruding opposite ends of the front cross member 56 carry a pair of 'upstanding brackets 58, each of which supports `the front end of a lower longitudinally extending rod 60 for slidably mountingl a hammer carriage indicated generally by reference numeral y62 at the left-hand side of 4the truck 2. The lower rod'60 for the carriage 62 is connected at its rear end to an upstanding bracket 64 which is xed to the short transverse member 54 at the left-hand side of the truck. The bracket 64 has an upstanding leg y66.wl1ich, vat its upper end, supports a bracket 68. An upper rod 70 is mounted at its ends in brackets 72 secured to a longitudinal member 74.

The left-hand carriage -62 for the air hammers is slidably mounted on the upper and lower rods 70 and 60, respectively, and comprises a set of longitudinally spacedapart, vertically disposed plates consisting ofV a front plate 76, an intermediate plate 78 and a rear plate 80. The front plate 76 carries a pair of sleeve bearings 82 kreceived on the rods 70 and 60 and is secured to the intermediate and rear plates 78 and 80, respectively, by a set of longitudinally extending bolts 84 (see Fig. l1), Athe bolts having clamping nuts threadably received vthereon at each of the opposite sides of thethree plates.

The front plate 76 carries a pair of xedvertically disposed channel members 86l which face each other and define a trackway or guide for a vertically disposed crosshead 88 slidable up and down therein. The crosshead 88 is connected to a bracket 90 which isrrconnected to the case of an outboard air hammer indicated generally by reference numeral 92 to guide the same in down and up movement toward and awayfrom the tie 14Y over which it is located. The intermediate plate 78 has a similar guide and crosshead for guiding the case of an inboard air hammer 94. The hammers 92 and 94 are adapted to straddle one of the rails 10 supported on the ties. Slots 96 in the front and4 intermediateV plates 76 and 78 permit the channel members 86 to be adjusted inwardly and outwardly with relation to the vertical plane of the rail 10 to bring the outboard and inboard hammers 92 and 94 into exact spaced relationship with respect to the rail.

The rear plate 80 s slidably mounted on the rods 60 and 70 in the same manner as the front plate 76. Each of the plates 76 and 80Vhas an upper bracket 9'8 secured `to it which supports a mounting plate 100 at its opposite ends. The mountingplate 100 straddles the intermediate plate 78 so as topermit relative fore-and-aft adjustment between the plates 76 and 78 when the nuts on the tie rods 84 are loosened.

The mounting plate 100 vcarries a vertically disposed, -double acting air cylinder 102 which is rigidly secured at its lower end by bolts 104 to the mounting plate and has a depending piston rod 106vfor raising and lowering the hammers 92 and 94. The piston rod 106 is connected to the hammers by a horizontally disposed, forwardly and outwardly extending vbar 108 which carries a pair of inwardly and outwardly adjustable sleeves 110 secured to the brackets 90 which are secured to the upper ends of the cases of the hammers 92 and `94. The hammers 92 and 94 have reciprocable spike hammering plungers 92a and 94a, respectively, which are pneumatically operated in conventional manner.

Thecarriage 62 is adjusted fore or aft along the rods 60 and 70 by a hydraulic cylinder 112'and piston rod 114 lhaving a piston operating in the cylinder. The cylinder 112 is pivotally mounted at its rear end on a vertical pivot 116 and on a transverse pivot 118 supported by the upstanding leg 66. The piston rod 114 is pivotally connected at 120 to the intermediate plate 78 of carriage 62. Extension or retraction of piston rod: 1-14 in cylinder 112 adjusts the carriage 62 supporting -the hammers `92 and 94 fore or aft of the truck 2 so that the hammers are in direct vertical alignment with the: spikes to be driven. 'I'he slots 96 allow inward or outward adjustment of the hammers.

,A carriage indicated generally by reference numeral 62A,whose.construction 'and Aoperation are the same as that of the carriage 62, is located at the .right-hand side; of the truck. It supports two air hammers similar to the. hammers 92 and 94 and can'be adjusted fore and relative to the truck 2 by a cylinder Vand piston Y`rod similar to the cylinder 112 and piston rod 114. f

Reference is now made to Figures 3, 4 and 5 which illustrate the construction and operation of tong means for .grasping a tie, raising it against the base of the rails and holding it While spikes are being driven.

An air cylinder `122 'which `is centrally located transversely of the truck 2 is pivotally mounted adjacent its lower end on transverse pivots 124 mounted in longitudinally extending beams 126. The beams 126 are supported by spaced front and rear cross beams 128 and 130, respectively, from four vertical beams I132 which at their lower ends are rigidly secured to the longitudinally extending beams 52. The beams 126, 128 and 130 provide an upper platform indicated generally'by reference numeral 134 on which vthe cylinder 122 is pivotally supported.

The front and rear cross beams 128 and 138, respectively, in the upper platform 134 support pairs of closely spacedV depending vfront lugs 136 and rear lugsl which .carry a pivot 140 between the lugs of each pair at each of the four corners of but slightly below the upper platform 134. Each of the pivots "140 carries a pair of .depending confronting channel-shaped guide rails 1412,

two pairs of which are adapted to swing about a trans versely extending front axis 142a and two pairs of which are adapted to swing about a transversely extending rear axis 142b. A bell crank indicated generally by reference numeral 144 is located between each pair of guide rails 142. Each bell crank 144 has a vertically extending leg 146 and a horizontally extending, leg 148. Each of the bell cranks 144 carries a pair of rollers 15 at the apex of the vertical leg 146 and the horizontal Vleg 148 which are received by and track in a corresponding pair of guide rails 142. The lower portion yof the vertical leg 1416v of each bell crank 1-44 also carries a roller 152 received and tracking in a pair of guiderails 142. The vertical legs '146 of the bell cranks each carry a tong 154- `having a claw portion 156 and a plurality of fastening bolts 15S, whereby the tong 154 is detachably secured to spaced-apart plates welded to the vertical legs 146. The lower ends of each pair of guide rails 142 are rigidly secured together by a bracket 160, each bracket carrymg ya pivot 162. A front equalizer bar 164 and a rear equalizer bar 166 are pivotally connected at their ends by the pivots 162 to the brackets 160. An air cylinder 170 is pivotally connected at 172 to the rear equalizer bar 166 and a piston rod 174 having a piston operatlng .in cylinder 170 is pivotally connected-at 176 to the front equalizer bar 164. Retraction of the piston rod 174 .into its cylinder operates through the equalizer bars 164 and 166 to move the guide rails 142 and the bell cranks 144 towardeach other so that the Vtongs 154 can grasp a. tie located between them. Extension of the piston rod 174 from its cylinder opens the tongs.

The horizontal legs 148 of the bell cranks 144 extend toward each other and overlap and are provided with slots 178 which receive the ends of a transversely extending pin 180. The. pin 180 is supported in a U-shaped bracket 182 which is pivotally connected by a longitudinally extending pin 184 to a fitting 186 to which the lower end ofl a piston rod 188 is secured. The piston rod has a piston operating in the cylinder 122. Raising and lowering of the piston rod 188 causes `the bell cranks 144 to raise and lower in thev guide rails 142 to bring thetongs 154 ofthe bell cranks 144 into inoperative raisedposition or to low them to operative position in which they can grasp a tie.

'Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a control panel 190 is mounted on a support 192 within convenient reach of an operator seated on'a seat 194 supported from the truck 2. A valve 196 mounted on the control panel is operable by a handle 198. The valve controls the flow of hydraulic liquid from the pump 24 through conduits 200 to the opposite ends of cylinder y112 t0 adjust. the left-hand car- Hage fsjzfffesr "sa relative"tetheernik fr. asimilar `va1ve 196g c'oiitr'ols `the fdre-'ar'idfaft A''djii'stiiient ofthe carriage 62A. Twoylve's V2)2"and``202a'cont`r`olthe ow of air from air strage tank 22 to the cylindeis 1tl`2 and 102a for lowering and raising the ir'hamrners9`2 and 94 on the carriage 62 andthe crrespondinghanmerson the carriage 62A toward Vor away from the tie to be spiked. A valve 204 controis the flow 4ofcompressed air from tank 22 through conduits 206 to the upper and lower ends of cylinder 122 for lowering and raising the tongs 1'54. A valve 208 "controls ythe flowof compressed air from tank l22 to cylinder 170 to close and open the Itongs 154.

An exa'rnple of the ilexibility of operation of `the ytie grasping tongs 154 is apparent from' the schematic showing of Figure 6. In this gure, the tie 14'` lies'askew of the other ties 14. The ytie '14 does Vnot iliei'in a plane which is at `exactly `right angles V'to the longitudinal'axis of Vthe truck. The tongs 154 are lowered 'by lweringfpiston rod 13S and thenthe piston rod 174 is're'tractedinto `its cylinder 176 to cause the tongs-to grasp theV tie 14'; The pivotedconnections 162 of the equalizer bars 164 and 166 to the guide rails 142 allow 'thetong's 1'54 toi'rmly grasp the tie. Then the piston rod l188'is raised to raise the tie against `the base of the rails `1t). The carriages 62 and 62A. are then adjusted fore orfaft to bring the hammers 92 and 94 on the left-hand carriage and the corresponding hammers on the right-hand 'carriage irito exact `vertical alignment with the spikes 'which 'are 'to b'e driven adtliereafter the hammers areoperatd t`o drive the spikes. The driving of the spikes of'the'lefthnd rail and ofthe `right- 'handrailcan take 'place simultaneouslywithoutfirstdriving the spikes of o'ne' rail and Athen bo'dilyinoving the truck 2 to the next position 'rondrit/ing the spikes ofthe other rail.

Figure 7 illustrate'sthe fact that'inlifting a Atie 14tinto engagement with the base ofa rail T10 Aand driving the spikes, the truck 2 neednot 'be exactly'spotteds'b that the pivot 124 4for the'liftii'ig cylinder 122 is lin exactvertical "alignment with the t'e 1"4. 'lh 'this ligure, the .truck 2 "whose position iSindica'tedby theposition of"its"lower frame and front cross member 56 and its upper platform 134, may be spotted in a position of mere approximation relative to a tie 14 which may be normal to or askew of the rails 10. The tongs 154, while spread apart, are lowered by lowering piston rod 1558 and then piston rod 174 is retracted in its cylinderi7@ so that the tongs clamp the tie. When so clamped, the tie and the pivot 1'24 are not in exact vertical alignment with each other. Piston rod 188 is then raised to raise the tie against the base of the rails 10. If it is desired to spike the tie in this position, the carriages 62 and 62A are adjusted fore or aft so as to bring the air hammers 92 and 94 and the corresponding hammers on the other side of the truck into the desired positions over the tie and then the plungers of the hammers are operated to drive the spikes into the tie. On the other hand, one or more retractions and extensions of the piston rod 188 with a tie grasped by the tongs 154 will, by gravity, ordinarily result in the tie assuming a nearly vertically aligned position with respect to the transverse pivot 124 supporting the cylinder 122 and the operator may, if desired, operate thecylinder 122 in this manner to accomplish the alignment.

Figure 8 illustrates automatic mechanism for feeding spikes 210 and for holding them in position suitable for driving them into a tie. A spike feed chute 212 is supported adjacent its upper end byja bracket 214 carrying a pin 216 and a bracket 218 having a slot 22d receiving the pin. The bracket 213 is secured to the front cross member 56 of the truck '2. The chute 212 is also supported intermediate its ends by brackets 222 and 224, plate 226 and a pin 228 slidable in a sleeve 230 secured to the truck, the pin 22d being capable of being raised and lowered by a handle 232. The chute 212 can be swung to the inoperative dotted line position 212e by faisingthe handle 232. Thech'uteis inclined downwardly 4and"rearwardly and has 'a substantially horizontal end Afjgior'tionwhich'carries an escape lmechanism l234 of known design'pe'rrnitting the'spikes 21,0 to pass out the rear of the chuteone at a time. The front plate A756 of carriage 62 whichsupports the hammers 92 and 914 carries the channel member lguides 86 in depending relation therefrom andthe guides have a rearwardly extending bracket 236 rigidtherewith and carrying atransversely disposed pivot 238 which pivotally supports lthe upper end of an L-shaped magnetic spike holder 240. Adjacent the upper end-thereof, the spike holder 240 has a cam surface portion`242 ngageable by an enlarged portion243 of the case -of the hammer 92 when the hammerI is lowered so as to cam the magnetic spike holder into the inoperative dotted line position 240:1 of 4Figure 8. A spring-securing bracket 244 is carried bythe magnetic spike holder 24) and is attached `to one Vendof a-helical spring 246 which is anchored atv its opposite end to a bracket 24S Vcarried bytheguide 86 depending from the front plate 76. The

spring 246 -acts infa direction to urge the magnetic spike lholder 240 fromthe angled dotted line position 245g of inaction intothe solid line operative position of Figure 8.

Extension of piston rod i114 from its cylinder 11,2 causes the carriage 62`to move the `.hammers 92 and 94 and the magnetic spike holder 240 forwardly toward the escape mechanism 234 at theend portion of the chute 212. The lower leg of the L-shaped spike holder 240 hasfa permanent horseshoe` magnet 250 mounted adjacent the extremity thereof, which nmagnetically .picks up a spike 210 and retracts the spike with the holder .asthe carriage 62 is moved rearwardly to a position abouta tie 14. Although only `one spike chute 212 and one spike holder 240 are shown, there `is a spike chute `and a spike fholder for each hammer. Thus, .therejare two chutes and two spike holders at'each side o'f the truck. When the carriage 62 has nbeen moved rearwardly to the ,position shown -in `Figure 8, twoispikes are adapted to be driven, one by the hammeru92 and ,theother by the haime'r `94.l The hammers .92, and 94 :are then loweredto approachithe spikes, `the spikes being in position 210:1, and then the plungers 92a and 94a are actuated to drive the spikes into the ties. The spikes, in being driven downwardly through holes ina rail plate 12 as shown in Figures 1 and 8 into a tie 14 advance to progressive positions, such as position 210b, at which time the cam 242 is engaged by the enlarged hammer case portion 243 to cause the magnetic spike holder 240 to swing away from the spike into the dotted line position 240a.4 By this time, the spike is well started in the tie 14 and further blows on the spike head by the plunger 92a cause the spike to be driven downwardly into a substantially flush position with respect to the tie plate. Raising the hammer 92 permits the magnetic spike holder 240 to be swung by spring 246 to its solid line position.

The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment but may be otherwise embodied or practiced within the scole of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A railway track servicing machine comprising a truck adapted to run on rails, a carriage located at each side of the truck, an upper and a lower rod xed to the truck at each side thereof and extending longitudinally thereof, each carriage comprising a vertically extending front plate, rear plate and intermediate plate extending transversely of the truck and spaced apart longitudinally of the truck and slidably mounted on said rods, a vertically extending guide secured to each of said front and Y intermediate plates, a crosshead slidable in each of said guides, a hammer secured to each of said crossheads, and power means for raising and lowering both of said hammers as a unit.

2. A railway track servicing machine comprising a truck adapted to run on rails, an upstanding frame mounted on the truck, front and rear pairs of vertically disposed guides pivotally mounted adjacent their upper ends on transverse pins in the frame, pairs of bell cranks having vertically disposedV legs slidable in said guides and having horizontal legs pivotally connected to a common transverse pin, power means pivotally mounted on the frame for raising and lowering said common transverse pin to raise and lower said bell cranks in said guides, tie gripping elements aixed to the lower ends, of said vertical legs, and a second power means connected to said guides for moving them and the vertically disposed legs of said bell cranks and said tie gripping elements toward and away from each other to hold and release a railway tie.

3. A railway track servicing machine comprising a truck adapated to run on rails, an upstanding frame mounted on the truck, front and rear pairs of vertically disposed guides pivotally mounted adjacent their upper ends on transverse pins in the frame, pairs of bell cranks having vertically disposed legs slidable in said guides and having horizontal legs pivotally connected to a common transverse pin, tie tongs aixed to said vertical legs, an air cylinder pivotally mounted on the frame,` a piston rod having a piston operating in said air cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said common transverse pin for raising and lowering said bell cranks in said guides,` and a second air cylinder and pistonrod having la piston operating therein and connecting. said guides for moving them and the vertically disposed legs of said bell cranks and lthe tie tongs toward and away from each other to hold and release a railway tie. j t

4. A railway track servicing machine according to claim 2, comprising a front equalizer bar pivotally connecting said front pair of vertically disposed guides and a rear equalizer bar pivotally connecting said rear pair of vertically-*disposed guides, `said second power means pivotally connecting said equalizer bars to each other.

5. A railway track servicing machineV comprising a vehicle adapted to run on rails, two pairs of tongs mounted on said vehicle, power means to move said pairs from an elevated position to a lowered position into straddling lus relationship ,toa tie, .power means to move the tongs lof each pair toward and away from each other to grasp and release a railway tie, a mounting frame pivotally interconnecting the pairs of tongs such that each pair of tongs may move longitudinally relative to the other pair of tongs and'to the vehicle; both pairs of tongs when in the lowered position being adapted to grasp a tie which is askew of the rails.

6. A railway track servicing machine comprising a truck adapted to run on rails, a carriage supported by and located at each side of the truck and adjustable fore and aft of the truck, uid power means for moving said carriages fore and aft, a plurality of power driven hammers rigidly supported by each of said carriages, a second power means for moving said plurality of power driven hammers on each carriage vertically, an upstanding frame mounted on the truck in the proximity of said hammers, front and rear pairs of vertically disposed guides pivotally mounted adjacent their upper ends on transverse pivot axes in the frame, tongs slidably mounted in said guides, a third power means for raising and lowering said tongs in said guides, a fourth power means for moving said tongs toward and away from each other to hold and release a railway tie.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 527,985 Hoofnagle Oct. 23, 1894 612,040 Hoofnagle Oct. 11, 1898 936,679 SpandauY Oct. 12, 1909 1,321,909 Hastings Nov. 19, 1919 1,404,841 Doak Jan. 31, 1922 1,448,264 Doak Mar. 13, 1923 1,846,095 Elmer Feb. 23, 1932 2,018,129 Jackson Oct. 22, 1935 2,316,747 YStephens Apr.` 13, 1943 2,591,005 Piper Apr. 1, 1952 2,596,823 Richardson May 13, 1952 2,696,971 Philbrick Dec. 14, 1954 2,734,463 Hursh et al Feb. 14, 1956 2,818,820 Williams Jan. 7, 1958 

